Blog posts by FLOW team and guest writers
WEBINAR: Deep Dive on Line 5 Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline and proposed tunnel in the Straits of Mackinac threaten the Great Lakes, while primarily serving Canada. In July, the Tribal and environmental coalition earned a significant victory when the Michigan Supreme Court vacated a required state permit for the tunnel project. Meanwhile, additional state and… Read more »
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 31, 2026 Michigan Supreme Court upholds the public’s rights to the Great Lakes, orders new review of Line 5 tunnel. Traverse City, Mich., July 31, 2026 — The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that Michigan regulators failed to properly weigh the Great Lakes’ public trust protections and environmental impacts before approving Enbridge… Read more »
Before heading into the early July summer recess, the Michigan Legislature approved a balanced, bipartisan budget for the upcoming 2027 fiscal year. When it comes to water policy, there aren’t many surprises. In many ways, this is a status quo budget — it avoids some of the deep environmental cuts that had been proposed earlier… Read more »
In a new piece, which originally appeared on his Substack, Flow senior policy advisor Dave Dempsey examines the state of federal environmental policy, and how we can break the cycle and move forward. Subscribe to Dave’s Substack US environmental policy needs its own FEMA. The wreckage wrought by the Trump administration is staggering. The shards of… Read more »
Water is the foundation of human health, economic vitality, and democratic society. Water is not a commodity, it is a human right. And the systems we’ve built to deliver that right are extraordinary — and under strain. Adapted from a keynote speech delivered by Flow executive director Liz Kirkwood to the 2026 Great Lakes Drinking… Read more »
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 15, 2026 TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — In a pair of key permit decisions announced today by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) regarding Enbridge’s proposed pipeline tunnel through the Straits of Mackinac, the state has failed to carry out its duties under the Michigan Wetlands Protection Act… Read more »
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Flow Water Advocates is proud to announce the release of the Great Lakes Passport, a free educational guide that invites Michiganders and visitors alike to explore the Great Lakes while learning about the rights, history, and legal protections that safeguard these shared waters. Designed for families, educators, outdoor enthusiasts, and all… Read more »
A new poll from Progress Michigan in partnership with Public Policy Polling shows strong support for the Michigan Water Trust Fund Act, a package of two bills long championed by Flow and introduced by Sen. Sam Singh (D-28) in May 2026. The bills (SB 950 & 951) would raise approximately $300 million annually by imposing a 25-cent… Read more »
Watch the recording Last week, over 200 participants gathered over Zoom for the public hearing on the proposed reissuance of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Individual Permit (NPDES) for Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 tunnel through the Straits of Mackinac. Line 5 is a pair of aging oil pipelines that travels across the bottom of… Read more »
What happened. On June 3, the Michigan Senate Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee voted to advance SB 771, which would create a statewide septic code, and prioritize evaluations for older septic systems near lakes and streams. Michigan’s septic situation. Michigan does not have a statewide septic code, and there is strong evidence that failing systems are contaminating… Read more »
